ADF ashes conquest
Aussie XI team departs for UK

By Michael Brooke

The cream of ADF cricket departed Brisbane this month for an 11-match tour of England and their own Ashes showdown with the UK Combined Service XI.

It is the first tour of England since 1993 and the 60th anniversary of the drawn Services Victory Tests between an open England side and an Australian Services side under the captaincy of WO Lindsay Hasset.

An 18-man squad will play seven lead-up games before taking on the RAF, Army, RN and the culminating match against the UK Combined Services.

The ADF team was farewelled at the Queensland Cricket Club in the esteemed company of the 1945 Services Team Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Stan Sismey, and Invincibles legend, Bill Brown.

SQNLDR Sismey, a pilot during WW2, visited the 2005 tour squad during training and said it was important to compete but just as important to compete in the spirit of cricket.

“I’ve always stuck by the three Ds – dedication, discipline and determination,” SQNLDR Sismey said.

“If you apply those principles to your particular sport then you will get to where you want to go.”

2005 tour captain SQNLDR Steve O’Hara said the ADF squad was very aware of the historical footsteps in which they were following.

“I think we are very fortunate and we are doubling our luck on this tour,” SQNLDR O’Hara said.

“We have got the 60th anniversary of the 1945 side and the Victory tests and we have got the Ashes year over there as well and there is a good chance we could run into the Australian test side.”

The 30-day tour means a busy schedule but the lead-up games will be an important phase to consolidate skills in preparation for the seasoned UK cricketers in the middle of their summer competition.

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